Cons

Meat drawer did not stay cold

Upper door temps were too high to store perishables

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Electrolux Standard-Depth French Door Refrigerator is the most user-friendly of all the refrigerators we tested. Every shelf and compartment is adjustable and the digital controls are easy to access and use. Even better, the temperatures on the interior shelves didn't buckle regardless of how hot it got, which will translate to better food storage. However, they did climb to above 40° Fahrenheitmaking it unsafe to store perishables like yogurt and cheese. Instead, it's best to keep condiments and soft drinks on the door's shelves. The meat drawer didn't stay any cooler than the rest of the fridge so it might not be as effective at keeping beef, chicken and fish fresh for an extended amount of time. Its crisper was able to keep lettuce crisp for seven days. Our only gripe was that at its lowest setting, the "Perfect Temp Drawer" didn't stay significantly colder than the rest of the fridge.

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HOW WE TESTED: The Kitchen Appliances and Technology Lab evaluated 12 French-door refrigerators. We tested each one for uniformity of temperatures from shelf to shelf in the refrigerator and freezer compartments as well as for temperature variations in single areas over time. In each, we tested the ability to maintain moisture by storing romaine lettuce on a refrigerator shelf and in one crisper drawer for seven days. If models were equipped with a meat keeper or deli drawer, we compared its temperatures to the average temperature in the refrigerator compartment to determine whether the drawer maintained colder temperatures. We also assessed whether the doors kept temperatures low enough to keep perishable items from spoiling quickly. In addition, we evaluated each refrigerator's ease of use, including the helpfulness of the manual, the type and ease of use of the controls and the comfort of grasping the door handles. We also assessed interior features including the type of shelves in the refrigerator cavity and on the doors, the ease with which the freezer drawer and baskets could be opened, the presence or absence of crispers with humidity controls and the presence or absence of a meat keeper or deli drawer with temperature controls. All notable features including Wi-Fi connectivity were considered but not rated.

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